CRICKET: Pant not feeling the price tag pressure in IPL, says coach Langer

NEW DELHI — Lucknow Super Giants captain Rishabh Pant’s inconsistent form reflects his team’s broader struggles in the Indian Premier League (IPL), but head coach Justin Langer has dismissed suggestions that the player is burdened by his hefty price tag.

Lucknow secured the wicketkeeper-batsman for $3.21 million in 2024 and retained him for the current season, which has so far been disappointing for the franchise.

A six-wicket defeat to Mumbai Indians on Monday marked Lucknow’s sixth consecutive loss, leaving them bottom of the 10-team table and facing a steep challenge to keep their playoff hopes alive.

“I don’t think money has to do anything with it,” Langer told reporters. “Leadership is a tough position. He’s carrying a lot of pressure for the team, and he does it, like all of us, with a smile on his face 98% of the time.”

“It’s the 2% that’s hard, to be honest. But he’s chipping away, he’s working hard, and he’s had a match-winning game earlier in the season. I love it when we see him smiling and playing that swashbuckling style of play.”

Pant has scored 204 runs in nine innings at a strike rate of 128.30, a modest return for a player of his reputation and expectations.

Langer noted that Pant, who was moved down to number four to accommodate Nicholas Pooran at number three against Mumbai, is close to rediscovering his best form.

“He selflessly moved down the order to let Nicky P bat at three. Rish is not far off from a big score,” Langer said. “As a captain in the IPL, you just keep fronting up. That’s all you can do. And he’ll keep fronting up, and hopefully he’ll help us get some wins over the next few games.”

Despite posting a strong total of 228-5 against Mumbai, Lucknow failed to defend the score.

“We should have definitely got more runs,” Pant said after the match, adding that they were “10–15 runs short.”

-Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; Editing by Kate Mayberry/Reuters